Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Best Swiss ski destination is revealed, why Switzerland is more 'corrupt' now than last year, and other news in our roundup on Monday.
REVEALED: Switzerland’s best ski resort is…
Just as the winter sports season is about to start in the Alps, the World Ski Awards named Verbier as Switzerland’s best ski resort.
The Valais resort, which is particularly popular with tourists from the UK, is not exactly a novice in the ‘best’ category: in January 2022, it was voted the best ski destination in the world for the second year in a row.
Verbier’s W Hotel has also received a distinction — it has been named the “best ski hotel in Switzerland” and “in the world”.
The results are out! W Verbier is officially the World’s Best Ski Hotel 2022 and Switzerland’s Best Ski Hotel 2022! Congrats also to our friends @VerbierResorts for winning the World’s Best Ski Resort award this year again. We look forward to seeing many of you this winter! pic.twitter.com/QfWA9O5dCv
— W Verbier (@WVerbier) November 18, 2022
READ MORE: First ski slopes open in the Swiss Alps despite warm autumn
Secrets lurking beneath the Alps slow down tunnel construction
The second tunnel through the Gotthard has been under construction since September 2021 and is scheduled to be finished in 2029.
However, old army bunkers hidden deep in the mountain complicate and slow down the excavation process, as these top-secret military installations have to be moved out of the way.
During WWII, the Swiss military dug over 20,000 bunkers in the Alps, allowing its soldiers to stay hidden — along with their weapons, ammunition, and other supplies — and defend the country in case of an attack.
While the Federal Roads Office confirmed to the Swiss media that workers in the tunnel have stumbled upon these old bunkers, it did not give out any further information because their location “is confidential”.
Protected EU designations for Swiss regional specialties
After the ‘half and half’ cheese fondue got a trademark protection last week, other Swiss specialties have followed suit as well.
La Cuchaule — the brioche bread from Fribourg — as well as three Appenzell specialties and one from Bern, will benefit from protected designations in the EU as of January 2023.
They are a smoked and dry cured beef from Appenzell called Mostbröckli, as well as three kinds of sausages — Siedwurst, Pantlli, and Zungenwurst — from Appenzell and Bern, respectively.
These designations will be protected in the EU against imitation or misuse. In return, Switzerland protects around 60 EU products.
Report: Switzerland has become more corrupt
A new "Global Corruption Index 2022", published by the compliance organisation Global Risk Profile, shows that Switzerland has slipped in the ranks in terms of corruption — from the 12th place last year to the 20th in 2022.
Overall, 196 countries were ranked in the survey.
Switzerland got a lower score this year largely because the loans and credits issued in an expedited process during the Covid pandemic opened up new opportunities for corruption.
Switzerland’s demotion came as a surprise to many social media users, according to 20 Minutes news platform.
A number of them are questioning why Switzerland is not ranked even lower, believing the country to be more corrupted than the survey showed.
"Someone must have received a bribe to make us look so good," one user said, while another pointed out that “it goes without saying that Switzerland is corrupt, since [International Footbal Association ] FIFA is based here… because of that, we should be in the first place in terms of corruption, not the 20th.”
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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REVEALED: Switzerland’s best ski resort is…
Just as the winter sports season is about to start in the Alps, the World Ski Awards named Verbier as Switzerland’s best ski resort.
The Valais resort, which is particularly popular with tourists from the UK, is not exactly a novice in the ‘best’ category: in January 2022, it was voted the best ski destination in the world for the second year in a row.
Verbier’s W Hotel has also received a distinction — it has been named the “best ski hotel in Switzerland” and “in the world”.
The results are out! W Verbier is officially the World’s Best Ski Hotel 2022 and Switzerland’s Best Ski Hotel 2022! Congrats also to our friends @VerbierResorts for winning the World’s Best Ski Resort award this year again. We look forward to seeing many of you this winter! pic.twitter.com/QfWA9O5dCv
— W Verbier (@WVerbier) November 18, 2022
READ MORE: First ski slopes open in the Swiss Alps despite warm autumn
Secrets lurking beneath the Alps slow down tunnel construction
The second tunnel through the Gotthard has been under construction since September 2021 and is scheduled to be finished in 2029.
However, old army bunkers hidden deep in the mountain complicate and slow down the excavation process, as these top-secret military installations have to be moved out of the way.
During WWII, the Swiss military dug over 20,000 bunkers in the Alps, allowing its soldiers to stay hidden — along with their weapons, ammunition, and other supplies — and defend the country in case of an attack.
While the Federal Roads Office confirmed to the Swiss media that workers in the tunnel have stumbled upon these old bunkers, it did not give out any further information because their location “is confidential”.
Protected EU designations for Swiss regional specialties
After the ‘half and half’ cheese fondue got a trademark protection last week, other Swiss specialties have followed suit as well.
La Cuchaule — the brioche bread from Fribourg — as well as three Appenzell specialties and one from Bern, will benefit from protected designations in the EU as of January 2023.
They are a smoked and dry cured beef from Appenzell called Mostbröckli, as well as three kinds of sausages — Siedwurst, Pantlli, and Zungenwurst — from Appenzell and Bern, respectively.
These designations will be protected in the EU against imitation or misuse. In return, Switzerland protects around 60 EU products.
Report: Switzerland has become more corrupt
A new "Global Corruption Index 2022", published by the compliance organisation Global Risk Profile, shows that Switzerland has slipped in the ranks in terms of corruption — from the 12th place last year to the 20th in 2022.
Overall, 196 countries were ranked in the survey.
Switzerland got a lower score this year largely because the loans and credits issued in an expedited process during the Covid pandemic opened up new opportunities for corruption.
Switzerland’s demotion came as a surprise to many social media users, according to 20 Minutes news platform.
A number of them are questioning why Switzerland is not ranked even lower, believing the country to be more corrupted than the survey showed.
"Someone must have received a bribe to make us look so good," one user said, while another pointed out that “it goes without saying that Switzerland is corrupt, since [International Footbal Association ] FIFA is based here… because of that, we should be in the first place in terms of corruption, not the 20th.”
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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